Facebook parent company Meta vows to remove sensitive ad-targeting from January 2022

Meta, also formerly known as Facebook has plans to remove its detailed targeting options from January 2022 onwards. With this move, advertisers will not be able to target users who have interacted with content related to health causes, sexual orientation, religious practices, political beliefs and social issues, among others. 

While this move limits the way Meta's targeting tools can be abused, VP of product marketing, Graham Mudd said the company is aware that this change may negatively impact some businesses and organisations. "We have heard concerns from experts that targeting options such as these could be used in ways that lead to negative experiences for people in underrepresented groups," he explained. He added, "It is important to note that the interest targeting options we are removing are not based on people’s physical characteristics or personal attributes, but instead on things like people’s interactions with content on our platform."

According to Mudd, this decision was not simple and required a balance of competing interests where there was advocacy in both directions. While some of Meta's advertising partners have expressed concerns about these targeting options going away because of its ability to help generate positive societal change, others understand the decision to remove them. He added, "Even after we update our targeting options, people may still see ad content they aren’t interested in, which is why we are also working to expand the control that allows people to choose to see fewer ads about certain types of content. Today, people can opt to see fewer ads related to politics, parenting, alcohol, and pets. Early next year, we will be giving people control of more types of ad content, including gambling and weight loss, among others."

Meanwhile, Meta said it will maintain its commitment to helping small businesses, non-profits, and advocacy groups reach their audiences. Meta will be working to expand the control that allows users to choose to see fewer ads about certain types of content, said Mudd. Today, users are able to opt to see fewer ads related to topics such as politics, parenting, alcohol and pets. Early next year, Meta aims to give users control on more types ad content which includes gambling and weight-loss, among others. 

Separately in July this year, Facebook said it limited the options advertisers have to reach youths under 18. The tech giant said in a blog post that its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram "weren’t designed for people under the age of 13", and would default youths (under the age of 16 or 18, depending on the country) into private accounts when they sign up for an Instagram account. It also said that it would develop AI to find and remove those who are underaged, as well as new solutions to verify people's ages without collecting ID.

The company explained that youths "may not be well equipped" to make the decisions regarding the ads they want to see. The app will notify users about targeting options that advertisers can use to reach them and the tools provided to control their ad experience once they turn 18.

Following its rebranding last month, Meta has been focusing on the metaverse, which the company believes will be the next chapter of social connection. Launching its first campaign this week, Meta's video campaign shows four youngsters looking at a painting, which seems to slowly come to life. The campaign was posted on Meta's social platforms, as well as on CEO Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook. The post on Meta's socials was also captioned: "Step into a world of imagination with Meta and the endless possibilities as 2D becomes 3D." The video depicts Zuckerberg's vision of the possibilities the metaverse holds for Meta and its audience. 

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Photo courtesy: 123RF 

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